Best Pet Cameras

The Bottom Line: Furbo is Top Dog

The Furbo Dog Camera has key features (like a pet launcher and night vision) that get our tails wagging. It’s the only pet camera we encountered with sound detection that senses barking. If your pup has a bad barking habit, the Furbo will alert you so you can check in, talk to them, and even give them a yummy treat.

Another perk: this camera livestreams in sharp 1080p, night or day. And while it’s on the pricey side, it’s not the most expensive camera on our list.

How Pet Cameras Compare

Amazon.com prices as of 10/31/19 09:50 pm MST.

Reviews: Best Pet Cameras

#1. Furbo Dog Camera

The Furbo Dog Camera was designed specifically for dogs and their owners. It boasts two-way audio, night vision, and a treat dispenser.

Our favorite feature in this pet cam is the bark alert, which sends a notification to your smartphone when the Furbo detects barking. This feature is especially helpful for those with more vocal canines. You can customize the sound detection sensitivity to your dog’s bark.

Our only complaint is that Furbo requires a subscription to use its cloud storage service if you want to keep records of your dog’s activities.

You’ll get a 90-day free trial, but after that, you’ll have to pay $6.99 per month or $69 for the whole year. With a price tag at $200, this might be out of reach for many.

#2. Wyze Cam Pan

The Wyze Cam Pan security camera doesn’t have pet-focused features, but its key features (like two way audio and wide angle viewing) earned it a spot near the top of our list.

This Wyze model has camera features, including night vision, motion tracking, and two-way audio. It can swivel a full 360 degrees in under three seconds, and it has pan-and-tilt capabilities to give you an additional 93 degrees of vertical viewing.

Its motion detection feature that moves the camera as it tracks your dog or cat around the room.

The motion tracking is both noisy and a little delayed, and the sound quality for the two-way talk feature isn’t crystal clear. But the Wyze Pan Cam’s 1080p high-definition live video is clearer than many other pet cameras we saw.

Given the low price point, we’re impressed.

#3. Pawbo Pet Camera

The Pawbo Pet Camera is a good all-around camera for any pet, but it has a few features that make it a great fit for felines. This cat camera comes with a built-in laser pointer and a treat dispenser your kitty will love. It also has ringtones that meow, squeak, or crinkle like a plastic bag to catch cats’ attention.

The Pawbo’s laser pointer lets you play with your cat while they’re home alone. The app has an automatic feature that points the laser in random directions to get your kitty’s attention. You can also move it manually through a virtual roller ball control.

The app also lets you share images and videos from your Pawbo cam on social media, and you can store additional recordings on your iOS and Android device.

Plus, the treat dispenser is a fun way to reward your kitty. It holds only a handful of treats, so you’ll have to make sure it stays full.

There are a few places where the Pawbo Pet Camera falls short. It has a wide 130-degree viewing angle and a 4x digital zoom, but at 720p, it doesn’t produce the high-definition video of its pet camera counterparts. It also lacks night vision, and motion tracking can lag. So while its live video quality isn’t the best, this camera will at least help you see if your kitty is snoozing or sneaking around.

More Pet Cams Worth a Look

Whether you want a pet cam to watch your puppy during his first week home alone or to keep an eye on your mischievous cats, there are tons of options out there. Here are a few other nominees you should check out.

#4. Petzi Treat Cam

The Petzi Treat Cam has some of the key features, like a treat dispenser, we want to see in a pet camera. You can feed your pets treats, talk to them using two-way audio, and watch them with the 100-degree viewing angle. Plus, the Petzi monitors treat levels and will automatically order refills from Amazon Dash.

The Petzi has bugs to work out, like treat jams and image delay and distortion, but it’s also a little less expensive than some of the more advanced pet cams listed here.

#5. Petcube Play

The Petcube Play pet camera has a laser pointer for your cats and two-way talk but no treat dispenser or pan-and-tilt function. It has a wide 138-degree field of view, but it’s hard to see details in that big view without a zoom option in the Petcube app.

We also hoped for better quality live-streaming video and audio. The Petcube’s video can be easily distorted with too much or too little light, and the sound from the camera’s speaker is garbled.

#6. PetChatz Pet Camera

At almost $400, the PetChatz pet cam costs as much as a month of doggy daycare.¹ But it’s full of fancy features: you can video chat with your pet, feed them treats, calm them with soothing scents, and entertain them with DOGTV. It even has a button they can press to call you!

Aside from the steep price, the only other drawback of the PetChatz is the camera’s narrow viewing angle. At just 65 degrees, it’s significantly smaller than the other cameras.

Things to Consider Before You Buy a Pet Cam 

Pick Pet-Friendly Features

Pet sitters and doggy daycare are good options when you need to leave your pet home alone. Pet cams require only one up-front payment unless you opt for cloud storage or subscription-based extras. When shopping for a dog or cat camera, think about how much time you spend away from home and what your biggest concerns are when it comes to your pet.

If you’re worried about your pet’s safety, you’ll want a pet monitor camera with a wider field of view and two-way audio. If your pet has anxiety, a camera with treats and games might help them relax.

Provide Pet-Friendly Toys and Entertainment

If you leave your pet at home for long periods of time, they’re going to need food, water, and plenty of entertainment. Some pet cams come with safe toys like laser pointers, but you’ll want to make sure their other toys are safe, too.

Create a Pet-Friendly Environment

While pet cams can help you keep an eye on your furry friends, they don’t guarantee complete safety. Cats and dogs may eat dangerous household items and plants. So before you leave them alone, be sure your home is poison-proofed and any hazards are out of the way.

There are plenty of reasons to get a pet cam, but a security system can also help keep your pets safe. If you get a system with professional monitoring, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors will alert a monitoring center that can send help right away.

Pet Cameras FAQs 

What’s the difference between a dog camera and a cat camera?

It’s all in the features. While most pet cameras work for all kinds of pets, we recommend getting a camera with features that fit your pet’s needs and interests. Pet cameras with laser pointers work best for cats, while those with treat launchers and bark sensors are better for dogs.

Where should I put my pet camera?

Putting your pet camera at (or slightly above) your pet’s eye level will give you the best viewing angle.

If your camera comes with extra features, experiment with placement to find the right spot. Keep in mind that laser pointers usually work better when the device is closer to the ground, and bright lights from windows or lamps can interfere with the video quality.

How do I train my pet to come to the pet camera when I’m not home?

Positive reinforcement works best. Several of the cameras on this list have tones and calls you can use to condition your pet to come to the camera.

Start by showing the camera to your pet, and dispense a treat. This shows them where the camera is and that it’s safe. Then, use the ringtones or two-way audio to call them to the device, and dispense a treat.

Do this several times—then get a friend or family member to encourage your pet to respond to the camera while you’re out of the house or in another room. Like any learned behavior, it just takes practice (and lots of treats).

How We Picked the Best Pet Cameras

We checked out what popular pet sites were saying about different cameras and researched which key features matter most to pet parents. We dug deeper to learn about the top cameras and their pros and cons so we could bring you the best of the best. Read our full methodology to find out more about how we research and review products.

Related Pages on SafeWise

• The Best Home Security Systems of 2019
• Safest Pet Toys
• Poison Proofing Your Home
• 10 Things in Your Home that Could Poison Pets
• Reasons to Get a Pet Cam
• Best Home Security Systems for Pet Owners

Sources
1. Angie’s List, “How Much Does Doggy Day Care Cost?“

*Amazon.com list price as of 10/29/19 12:06 MST. Product prices and availability are accurate as of this date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any prices and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product. Safewise.com utilizes paid Amazon links.

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